Chapter 35: A Heroine Emerges
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“Pack up everything in the stronghold. Those willing to come with us to Liangshan may leave of their own accord. Those who would rather stay behind will each receive three strings of cash for travel expenses.”
After deciding to join Liangshan, Zhu Wu and the others returned to the stronghold and made their decision swiftly.
The lesser bandits were caught somewhat off guard. Many of them had only recently come up to the mountain, and they had not expected to be changing masters so soon.
This alone caused quite a few of them to waver.
And when Zhu Wu offered them travel money, many chose to leave on the spot.
In the end, only seventy or eighty men were willing to follow Zhu Wu to Liangshan.
“Brother, with so many of us traveling together, might that cause trouble on the way back?”
Seventy or eighty men would certainly attract attention, and Zhu Wu was somewhat concerned.
“Not a problem. We’ll use the old method and disguise ourselves as a merchant caravan. I kept Great Official Chai’s banner. We only need to hang it up.”
Ren Yuan had naturally considered this issue. He always carried Great Official Chai’s banner with him.
It had to be said that, throughout the realm of the Great Song, the name of Great Official Chai carried extraordinary weight, among both the respectable and the underworld.
Sometimes Ren Yuan even secretly joked to himself that Chai Jin must have eaten the Face-Face Fruit and become a man made entirely of reputation.
“Brother, it’s my fault that I couldn’t bring more men up the mountain.”
Zhu Wu was rather remorseful. Liangshan was only just getting started, and if he could bring more people up at once, it would certainly count as a great accomplishment.
“It’s nothing, Military Adviser! From now on, everyone who comes to Liangshan must do so of his own free will. We don’t want anyone who has to be dragged up here.”
Ren Yuan patted Zhu Wu on the shoulder, telling him not to dwell on the matter.
Once everyone had finished packing, Ren Yuan suddenly thought of something. He pulled Shi Qian aside and said,
“Brother, pick out several quick-witted fellows from among these men and give them extra training. In a few months, have them return here to gather information about the Shi Family Manor. They’re locals and know the area well, so they’ll be more effective.”
“Does Brother intend to move against that manor?”
Shi Qian was somewhat surprised. This was the first time Ren Yuan had asked him to send spies to investigate a particular estate.
“No. Someone I know lives there. It simply isn’t time for us to meet yet.”
“Understood. Rest easy, Brother. Leave it to me.”
Shi Qian nodded to show that he understood.
He did not ask who this acquaintance was. If Ren Yuan said it was necessary, he would never raise a second objection.
The party then set out for the mountain. With so many heroes traveling together, the journey was naturally lively. Moreover, with Chai Jin’s banner flying, no one came to harass them along the road.
Even if someone had tried, there was nothing to fear. Ren Yuan was the lord of Liangshan, but he had not committed any offense, and the authorities did not yet have a portrait of him. He was still a law-abiding man, and no one would have reason to arrest him.
They traveled for nearly half a month. By then, summer had just begun. One day, they entered a county town.
The town was not large, but with noon approaching, the streets were filled with people. At first glance, it seemed quite bustling.
“What place is this?”
Ren Yuan was not yet especially familiar with the map of the Great Song. He had never been here before.
“Brother, this should be Qinghe County.”
Shi Qian often wandered from place to place and was fairly familiar with the region.
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“Qinghe?”
The first people who came to Ren Yuan’s mind were the brothers Wu the Elder and Wu Song. Judging by the time, they ought still to be staying at Great Official Chai’s residence.
The second person he thought of was a woman whose place in literary history remained deeply controversial.
Pan Jinlian.
At this point in time, Wu the Elder should not yet have married Pan Jinlian.
As for Pan Jinlian, Ren Yuan felt that she was, in truth, rather unfortunate.
She had originally been an innocent and spirited young woman, but after her family fell into decline, she had been forced to become a servant in a wealthy household.
Then, because she resisted the advances of her master and was disliked by the master’s wife, she was given to Wu the Elder as his wife.
What did that show? It showed that Pan Jinlian was not inherently that kind of woman.
She, too, had once been full of dreams and hope for her life. It was only after disappointment followed disappointment that her hopes were shattered, allowing Ximen Qing to finally take advantage of her.
All in all, she was a pitiable woman. This was not an attempt to whitewash Pan Jinlian; the historical figure on whom she was based was deeply devoted to her husband, whereas the version most people knew was the far more negative literary portrayal.
Ren Yuan shook his head. He knew he could not change everyone’s fate, but if the opportunity arose, he would not mind changing the fate of this unfortunate woman.
“Stop! Stop!”
Just as Ren Yuan was lost in thought, the street ahead suddenly erupted into commotion. Ordinary townspeople scattered to either side.
“Brother, someone’s causing trouble.”
Sun An and Ren Yuan were both nine feet tall. Their great height gave them an excellent view, and they immediately noticed what was happening.
A group of thirty or forty men dressed as household retainers were chasing two young women.
One of the women was dressed like a martial heroine in fitted traveling clothes, while the other wore the plain attire of an ordinary girl.
The heroine was pulling the other girl along at a run.
Clearly, however, the ordinary girl had no martial training and could not keep up. The distance between the two groups was gradually shrinking.
“What’s going on? Are they trying to abduct a common girl?”
Ren Yuan and the others watched with curiosity.
“Big Sister, let me go. Run on your own. There’s no need for you to suffer because of me.”
The two women were now fairly close to Ren Yuan’s disguised merchant caravan. Several of the men with the keenest hearing could already make out their conversation.
“No! Those men are bullying you! I can’t let you fall back into their clutches! Stay close to me. I promise I’ll get justice for you!”
“Brother, it seems we’re witnessing a heroine righting a wrong.”
Sun An grinned as he spoke to Ren Yuan.
“I can see that. This is rather interesting.”
Ren Yuan had not yet gotten a clear look at the two women, but it was rare in the martial world of the Great Song for a female heroine to rescue someone in distress.
His interest was piqued.
“Miss ahead, do you need assistance?”
Ren Yuan gathered his breath in his lower abdomen and shouted. The banners hanging outside the surrounding shops seemed to tremble from the force of his voice.
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The heroine, who had been running with her head down, brightened at the sound. She turned toward it and saw Ren Yuan mounted on a tall horse, his imposing figure unmistakable, with a large group of men behind him.
“Good sir, please lend us your aid! Your humble sister will surely repay you handsomely!”
“Hahaha! There’s no need to speak of repayment. Come over here!”
Ren Yuan threw back his head and laughed, motioning for the two women to join them. The woman dressed as a martial heroine was delighted and pulled the other girl toward him.
Ren Yuan signaled to the lesser bandits, who parted to let the women into their formation.
“Whew, thank goodness, Little Sister. We’re safe now.”
The heroine stopped, patted her chest, and caught her breath before quickly comforting the plainly dressed girl.
“What happened? Why are those people chasing you?”
Ren Yuan was curious. Clearly, the several dozen men pursuing them had a powerful background.
By then, the pursuers had caught up as well.
“We…”
The heroine was just about to explain when the voice of the men behind them cut her off.
“You cursed merchants! Where did you come from? How dare you pluck the whiskers of the tiger! You dare interfere in the affairs of the Zhang family? You there! The biggest fellow—what’s your background?”
The pursuers reached Ren Yuan’s caravan and were naturally stopped. Seeing their way blocked, the leading retainer flew into a rage and pointed at Ren Yuan as he cursed.
“Outrageous! How dare you speak to my master that way!”
Zhu Wu, disguised as the caravan’s accountant, had not forgotten his role. He stepped forward at once to answer.
“What is your master worth? Hand over those two sluts immediately if you know what’s good for you! The Zhang family of Qinghe is not so easy to deal with!”
The retainer chief continued to swagger.
“The Zhang family of Qinghe? Never heard of them.”
Ren Yuan rode forward, his expression stern.
“Are you blind, you dogs? Do you recognize the banner of the Chai family of Cangzhou? The Zhang family is nothing!”
The domineering words, combined with Ren Yuan’s imposing presence, immediately made the arrogant retainers tremble inwardly. They took several steps back.
“The Chai family… Which Chai family? I—I’ve never heard of them!”
The leading retainer’s face changed dramatically under Ren Yuan’s intimidation, but he still tried to put on a brave front.
“Hmph! What narrow-minded bumpkins. Get out of here! Go back and bring your steward. You’re not fit to speak with me!”
Ren Yuan swept a commanding hand through the air. Behind him, the lesser bandits grew as excited as if they had been injected with battle fever, gripping their clubs and itching for a fight.
The sight was enough to make the Zhang family retainers lose their nerve.
They could do nothing but retreat in disgrace. Before leaving, however, the leading retainer still shouted a threat:
“Bah! So what if you’re from the Chai family? Just wait and see!”
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